


Puzzle Pieces

by scribblepen



Series: Black Raven Beginnings [1]
Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: Gen, platonic badger/marilyn, very slight crow/badger
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-20
Updated: 2016-08-20
Packaged: 2018-08-10 00:58:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7823986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scribblepen/pseuds/scribblepen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Being just the newest member of the Black Ravens, Badger wonders how he fits in with the rest of them. They've all got their own groups, but he isn't confident he'd be able to fit in well with them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Puzzle Pieces

**Author's Note:**

> I might make a continuation of this for the beginnings of the Black Ravens but I'm not sure yet!

"Alright, Badger, feel free to call yourself a Black Raven!" Crow patted his shoulder.  
  
After about month of hanging around Crow and his three friends, Badger was finally an official part of their group. It wasn't weird at all to call himself a Black Raven, since he knew all the people already!  
  
Let's see, there was Crow, he was like their leader or boss, the latter being a good way to explain it since he could be a bit bossy sometimes. He was a good leader though, and always considered his friends' feelings first. After Crow, naturally comes Nabby, his second-in-command and best friend. Something Badger doubted at first was that Nabby was reliable, because he always seemed to complain. But, Badger was wrong, as though Nabby did complain, he was still very dependable. After Nabby was Marilyn, a very nice girl who gave out great advice. She was easy-going, and approachable, even for someone as shy as Badger himself. The next one and last one was Louis. Louis was the eldest of the group, and very laid back. He was almost like Marilyn, but with a bigger ego, through Badger knew that it was just there for laughs, and he didn't really think so high of himself, but he didn't let himself get pushed around either.  
  
Badger wondered what they all thought of him, and also wondered how well he fit with them. He was already on good terms with Crow, obviously, or else he wouldn't have let him join. Marilyn and himself got along just fine, great even. She was very patient with him, and didn't mind his shyness. Surprisingly, Nabby seemed to like him as well, and Badger liked him too, but they didn't talk as often as they did with the others. Louis was easy to get along with too, but they had rocky start since when Crow introduced Badger to him, Louis had immediately pointed out his nose, and Badger had almost burst out crying, since he thought maybe kids in Misthallery wouldn't mention his carrot-like nose, but he had hoped for too much. They were both fine now, of course, and they both enjoyed talking to eachother.  
  
Now, Badger was confident that the others liked his presence and didn't find him annoying, but he wasn't sure where he fit in.  
  
Crow had Nabby as his best friend, and Louis and Marilyn seemed to be closer than the rest of them, but Badger didn't have a mate he could go to above all others. Sure, Marilyn was everyone's go-to person for their troubles but, like stated, she was everyone's. What separated Louis from the rest of 'everyone' to Marilyn eluded Badger, but they had their inside jokes, just like Nabby and Crow.  
  
A selfish part of Badger wanted Crow all to himself as his best friend, since he was the one that introduced him to all this, but he knew that Nabby and him fit better as best friends.  
  
He decided to just let things unfold by themselves.  
  
One day, Marilyn asked Badger to help her with the shop, since she had to bring over a lot of freshly picked tomatoes from her house that was near the end of the market. Badger gladly accepted, anything to get closer with his new friends.  
  
"You sure it's no trouble? I can always ask Louis for help, though I doubt he's up at this hour," Marilyn joked. Louis was well known for either waking up later than the others, or having to be woken up by someone.  
  
"Yeah, it's no trouble!" Badger shrugged. "I'd love to help out."  
  
Marilyn smiled at him. "Thanks, now follow me, my house is squished in between two other slightly bigger houses."  
  
As they walked to her house, Badger wondered how long the four of them had known eachother. Louis was only around eleven-ish, nearly twelve probably, so they could all have easily known eachother for five years. If they all did know eachother for five years, Badger joining one of the friend groups really was hopeless.  
  
"You gonna tell me what's on your mind?" Marilyn interrupted his thoughts.  
  
"W-what?" Badger was startled, and he quickly glanced to his left, looking at Marilyn.  
  
"You look troubled." Marilyn explained.  
  
"Oh," Had he really? "Well, I was just wondering, how long have you guys been the Black Ravens?"  
  
Marilyn put her hand over her mouth and her lips started moving, as if she were counting, but she didn't stop walking.  
  
"Hm, well, I know that we've been the black ravens for a little over a year," Marilyn said, sticking her thumb out and letting it point to Badger. "But Louis and I have known eachother since he moved here, which was about four years ago when I was six."  
  
"What about Crow and Nabby?" Badger hesitantly asked.  
  
Marilyn shrugged. "I'm not sure, but judging by how close they are, I'd say maybe the same amount of time as Louis and I."  
  
_Great_ , Badger thought. There was no way he could worm his way into either group, he'd have to wait until a new Black Raven joined, if ever.  
  
"Why do you ask?" Marilyn let her arms swing by her sides freely. "Afraid of not fitting in?"  
  
"I- yeah, actually..." Badger trailed off. "Proper dumb, right?"  
  
Marilyn shook her head. "No, not really."  
  
That didn't relieve Badger at all.  
  
"I mean, I kind of understand," Marilyn further explained. "When Louis brought me over to meet his neighbors, Crow and Nabby, I actually felt really, what's the word, left out?"  
  
"You?" Badger couldn't believe his ears. "I find that hard to believe."  
  
Marilyn chuckled a bit and continued.  
  
"Well, yeah. It used to be just Louis and myself, but then all of a sudden he had two new friends, and they both had one big thing in common with him."  
  
"Wot was that?" Badger leaned in.  
  
Marilyn gave him a confused smile, as if it were so obvious.  
  
"They were all boys," Marilyn laughed.  
  
"Oh," Badger replied, feeling a bit dumb. "But yer did say Louis dragged you along to see em, so he still cared about ye..."  
  
Marilyn shrugged. "He was different with them. They talked about a bunch of things that I hadn't heard of before."  
  
"Like wot?"  
  
"Card game techniques would be one." Marilyn quickly said. "Louis had never talked about that kind of stuff with me, so I figured they had all met up without me.  
  
"Looking back at it, I feel kind of stupid now, thinking that Louis was leaving me behind for some new friends."  
  
Badger realized they had stopped walking.  
  
"All I'm saying is, I don't blame you for feeling a bit left out, being our first single-joining member, but you don't have to worry about it, because really, you're part of the Black Ravens now, and we've all got your back." Marilyn gave him a friendly smile and a pat on the back. "Anyway, we're here. The tomatoes are just inside!"  
  
From that day forward, Marilyn made sure to include Badger with herself and Louis, and tried to explain their inside jokes with him. Badger never would have guessed that Louis had a fear of spiders!  
  
He became very good friends with the both of them, and when Louis had introduced him as one of his best mates to the next Black Raven recruits, Socket and Wren, Badger felt like he finally fit in with the Black Ravens.


End file.
